Those little sticky note size lane dots are what we get in Massachusetts for long periods during paving. Send a crew to grind off the old pavement. Let drivers use the rough lanes for a month. Add a layer of pavement to one of the four lanes. Wait a week. Pave half the second lane. Continue for a while. After the paving is done, wait a few more weeks and lay down the permanent lane markings.

Mass DOT changes the formula for lane markings. Two popular mixes are the "dissolves asphalt" thermoplastic popular about ten years ago and the "fades away" stripes popular most of the rest of the time. The former kind leaves lanes well demarcated by lines of craters. The second kind is OK during dry daytime driving but if it's raining you'll have to guess where the lanes are. Fortunately we're good at guessing, apparently much better than California drivers.

ZAZ:Those little sticky note size lane dots are what we get in Massachusetts for long periods during paving. Send a crew to grind off the old pavement. Let drivers use the rough lanes for a month. Add a layer of pavement to one of the four lanes. Wait a week. Pave half the second lane. Continue for a while. After the paving is done, wait a few more weeks and lay down the permanent lane markings.

Mass DOT changes the formula for lane markings. Two popular mixes are the "dissolves asphalt" thermoplastic popular about ten years ago and the "fades away" stripes popular most of the rest of the time. The former kind leaves lanes well demarcated by lines of craters. The second kind is OK during dry daytime driving but if it's raining you'll have to guess where the lanes are. Fortunately we're good at guessing, apparently much better than California drivers.

Don't forget the "leave the barrels up four months after work completes so the State Troopers can ticket you in a work zone" maneuver.

Or, my favorite, on the Mass Pike around Lee: the "failure to keep right" violation upon exiting a work zone wherein the right lane was closed.

"People just turn it into a literal free-for-all," Meyers told Chronicle Watch. "It makes the traffic slow down because of how people are when it comes to merging. Just because the sign says 'merge' doesn't mean people will."

Haven't been on the central freeway in awhile, but the whole "oh shiat, which lanes are for going south and which lanes are for going across the bridge" right before the cars get to the split is always a head scratcher. Even if you don't make the drive often, or never made it, you can pretty much see that south goes south (and west) and oh hey, downtown is over there, and if you're lucky, you might even see the bridge.

Solid State Vittles:Haven't been on the central freeway in awhile, but the whole "oh shiat, which lanes are for going south and which lanes are for going across the bridge" right before the cars get to the split is always a head scratcher. Even if you don't make the drive often, or never made it, you can pretty much see that south goes south (and west) and oh hey, downtown is over there, and if you're lucky, you might even see the bridge.

Not there aren't signs and stuff either...

Like the NB 280/19th ave split in Daly City.

The overhead signs show the lane alignment you can see from a distance then the lane lines shift one to the right as you approach the sign causing panic and last minute lane changes.

Day_Old_Dutchie:"People just turn it into a literal free-for-all," Meyers told Chronicle Watch. "It makes the traffic slow down because of how people are when it comes to merging. Just because the sign says 'merge' doesn't mean people will."

Nothing like merging to truly bring out the derp in drivers.

"I GAHT TH' RAHT O' WAY!!!"

This. People are bad enough drivers when the lanes are marked clearly. I would guess that this would be SPARTA level madness here.

Solid State Vittles:Haven't been on the central freeway in awhile, but the whole "oh shiat, which lanes are for going south and which lanes are for going across the bridge" right before the cars get to the split is always a head scratcher. Even if you don't make the drive often, or never made it, you can pretty much see that south goes south (and west) and oh hey, downtown is over there, and if you're lucky, you might even see the bridge.

Not there aren't signs and stuff either...

Some people are just bad with road signs and it gets worse when they're tourists.

Oh, and I forgot the obligatory, people here are the worst drivers! You don't understand! It's not like this wherever it is that you live and drive! So many dumb people behind the wheel! It's like they give away licenses! Only place like this in the country! I'm the only one that knows what I'm doing! You don't even know!

People have trouble figuring out the lanes and merging when there are just two lanes. I can't imagine a 5-lane multihighway with cars all over the place. Half the people not able to figure out what's where and at any given time a half dozen self-entitled asshats trying to shave 5 seconds off their commute by jumping queues.

I was up there early this year and noticed a stretch like that. I also remember a short stretch of the 10 down in LA that was almost as bad a few years ago. It had very faint lines that were almost the same color as the road surface.

There's no excuse for it. There are many different ways to put in temporary lane markers, many of which work in far colder climates than SF. The trouble is there's no penalty for the government when they fail to meet required standards.

jtown:I was up there early this year and noticed a stretch like that. I also remember a short stretch of the 10 down in LA that was almost as bad a few years ago. It had very faint lines that were almost the same color as the road surface.

There's no excuse for it. There are many different ways to put in temporary lane markers, many of which work in far colder climates than SF. The trouble is there's no penalty for the government when they fail to meet required standards.

A few lawsuits will solve the problem.

My dad was in a severe bicycle accident in 1981 in Palm Springs. To avoid a car that pulled in front of him, he made a quick turn into a gas station but the lip of the ramp at street level was almost 4" where city code was max 2" -- he went over the bars and shattered his pelvis.

Wodan11:People have trouble figuring out the lanes and merging when there are just two lanes. I can't imagine a 5-lane multihighway with cars all over the place. Half the people not able to figure out what's where and at any given time a half dozen self-entitled asshats trying to shave 5 seconds off their commute by jumping queues.

Come down to the Washington, DC area sometime. We've got something you should see.

lohphat:jtown: I was up there early this year and noticed a stretch like that. I also remember a short stretch of the 10 down in LA that was almost as bad a few years ago. It had very faint lines that were almost the same color as the road surface.

There's no excuse for it. There are many different ways to put in temporary lane markers, many of which work in far colder climates than SF. The trouble is there's no penalty for the government when they fail to meet required standards.

A few lawsuits will solve the problem.

My dad was in a severe bicycle accident in 1981 in Palm Springs. To avoid a car that pulled in front of him, he made a quick turn into a gas station but the lip of the ramp at street level was almost 4" where city code was max 2" -- he went over the bars and shattered his pelvis.

Ninnies, just a bunch of non-driving ninnies. Is there not a real man or woman out there that can drive like a sensible person? You should be ashamed of yourselves. If people in the snow belt drove like you, nothing would ever get done in this country.....

Millennium:Wodan11: People have trouble figuring out the lanes and merging when there are just two lanes. I can't imagine a 5-lane multihighway with cars all over the place. Half the people not able to figure out what's where and at any given time a half dozen self-entitled asshats trying to shave 5 seconds off their commute by jumping queues.

Come down to the Washington, DC area sometime. We've got something you should see.

Used to live there. Was there last month on business and saw to my surprise that 495 was mostly done. (I'm surprised because my expectation was the contractors would milk the construction for 5 years or so).

FTFA: Caltrans officials told Chronicle Watch they started the project to resurface the road and improve drainage in early January. But then the cold snap hit and the contractors were unable to spray the lane paint onto the asphalt

If this is a possibility, then maybe you shouldn't start the project in the middle of winter.

Phantom_Lord:FTFA: Caltrans officials told Chronicle Watch they started the project to resurface the road and improve drainage in early January. But then the cold snap hit and the contractors were unable to spray the lane paint onto the asphalt

If this is a possibility, then maybe you shouldn't start the project in the middle of winter.

Dumbasses

Unfortunately with bureaucracy you have numerous delays so when work finally does begin, something scheduled in late spring/early summer turns into the dead of winter.

Millennium:Wodan11: People have trouble figuring out the lanes and merging when there are just two lanes. I can't imagine a 5-lane multihighway with cars all over the place. Half the people not able to figure out what's where and at any given time a half dozen self-entitled asshats trying to shave 5 seconds off their commute by jumping queues.

Come down to the Washington, DC area sometime. We've got something you should see.

It was my understanding that people in San Francisco were more enlighted, more selfless, more generous, and altogether better than the rest of the country. I don't understand how that kind of GOT MINE freeway anarchy can exist, there.

Smeggy Smurf:lohphat: jtown: I was up there early this year and noticed a stretch like that. I also remember a short stretch of the 10 down in LA that was almost as bad a few years ago. It had very faint lines that were almost the same color as the road surface.

There's no excuse for it. There are many different ways to put in temporary lane markers, many of which work in far colder climates than SF. The trouble is there's no penalty for the government when they fail to meet required standards.

A few lawsuits will solve the problem.

My dad was in a severe bicycle accident in 1981 in Palm Springs. To avoid a car that pulled in front of him, he made a quick turn into a gas station but the lip of the ramp at street level was almost 4" where city code was max 2" -- he went over the bars and shattered his pelvis.

ZAZ:Those little sticky note size lane dots are what we get in Massachusetts for long periods during paving. Send a crew to grind off the old pavement. Let drivers use the rough lanes for a month. Add a layer of pavement to one of the four lanes. Wait a week. Pave half the second lane. Continue for a while. After the paving is done, wait a few more weeks and lay down the permanent lane markings.

Mass DOT changes the formula for lane markings. Two popular mixes are the "dissolves asphalt" thermoplastic popular about ten years ago and the "fades away" stripes popular most of the rest of the time. The former kind leaves lanes well demarcated by lines of craters. The second kind is OK during dry daytime driving but if it's raining you'll have to guess where the lanes are. Fortunately we're good at guessing, apparently much better than California drivers.

It's like that here in Missouri, too, and I suspect in a lot of the country.

ZAZ:Those little sticky note size lane dots are what we get in Massachusetts for long periods during paving. Send a crew to grind off the old pavement. Let drivers use the rough lanes for a month. Add a layer of pavement to one of the four lanes. Wait a week. Pave half the second lane. Continue for a while. After the paving is done, wait a few more weeks and lay down the permanent lane markings.

Mass DOT changes the formula for lane markings. Two popular mixes are the "dissolves asphalt" thermoplastic popular about ten years ago and the "fades away" stripes popular most of the rest of the time. The former kind leaves lanes well demarcated by lines of craters. The second kind is OK during dry daytime driving but if it's raining you'll have to guess where the lanes are. Fortunately we're good at guessing, apparently much better than California drivers.

Perhaps you'd be interested in some of the special "invisible when wet" markings they favor in Minnesota.

Millennium:Wodan11: People have trouble figuring out the lanes and merging when there are just two lanes. I can't imagine a 5-lane multihighway with cars all over the place. Half the people not able to figure out what's where and at any given time a half dozen self-entitled asshats trying to shave 5 seconds off their commute by jumping queues.

Come down to the Washington, DC area sometime. We've got something you should see.

Shaggy0717:Millennium: Wodan11: People have trouble figuring out the lanes and merging when there are just two lanes. I can't imagine a 5-lane multihighway with cars all over the place. Half the people not able to figure out what's where and at any given time a half dozen self-entitled asshats trying to shave 5 seconds off their commute by jumping queues.

Come down to the Washington, DC area sometime. We've got something you should see.

circles?

No, some of the most self-important people in the world in their cars.

Note to DC area drivers: If you get in a minor fender-bender in the far left lane (or any lane really) don't park both your cars right there in the active traffic lanes of the goddamn beltway so you can exchange information. Pull off on to the shoulder to exchange insurance info - farking CSI isn't coming to take fingerprints for that ding in your bumper, shiatheads, and all you inconsiderate douchebags are doing is needlessly lengthening the commutes of tens of thousands of people behind you. The information isn't going to be any different on the shoulder.

Three times in the last two weeks I've seen this. All three times in the far left lane both parties had their cars parked and were standing between the cars exchanging info, so simply moving the car 5 feet to the left onto the shoulder would have not blocked an entire lane of rush-hour traffic, worsening everyone else's commute. I wanted to punch all those shiatheads right in the crotch.

Wodan11:Millennium: Wodan11: People have trouble figuring out the lanes and merging when there are just two lanes. I can't imagine a 5-lane multihighway with cars all over the place. Half the people not able to figure out what's where and at any given time a half dozen self-entitled asshats trying to shave 5 seconds off their commute by jumping queues.

Come down to the Washington, DC area sometime. We've got something you should see.

Used to live there. Was there last month on business and saw to my surprise that 495 was mostly done. (I'm surprised because my expectation was the contractors would milk the construction for 5 years or so).

They've moved down on 95 proper, making everything from Stafford to the 95/395/495 split a complete continual clusterfark.

And 495 East toward the Woodrow Wilson Bridge? That's Your 5 lane highway with cars coming from every direction. It's just a total piece of shiat clusterfark that shouldn't even exist. Fark it and the ground it's built on.

mongbiohazard:Shaggy0717: Millennium: Wodan11: People have trouble figuring out the lanes and merging when there are just two lanes. I can't imagine a 5-lane multihighway with cars all over the place. Half the people not able to figure out what's where and at any given time a half dozen self-entitled asshats trying to shave 5 seconds off their commute by jumping queues.

Come down to the Washington, DC area sometime. We've got something you should see.

circles?

No, some of the most self-important people in the world in their cars.

Note to DC area drivers: If you get in a minor fender-bender in the far left lane (or any lane really) don't park both your cars right there in the active traffic lanes of the goddamn beltway so you can exchange information. Pull off on to the shoulder to exchange insurance info - farking CSI isn't coming to take fingerprints for that ding in your bumper, shiatheads, and all you inconsiderate douchebags are doing is needlessly lengthening the commutes of tens of thousands of people behind you. The information isn't going to be any different on the shoulder.

Three times in the last two weeks I've seen this. All three times in the far left lane both parties had their cars parked and were standing between the cars exchanging info, so simply moving the car 5 feet to the left onto the shoulder would have not blocked an entire lane of rush-hour traffic, worsening everyone else's commute. I wanted to punch all those shiatheads right in the crotch.

Yeah, it's not like there are big signs reading ALL FENDER BENDERS MOVE TO THE SHOULDER up every few miles or anything...